Due Respect

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Today's weather has been rather less clement than yesterday's; overcast and chilly, and since late afternoon, wet; so I've been stuck into my most recently-purchased book on Arnhem, pictured. Thus far, I've reached Tuesday, September 19th. 1944, a week before my uncle, Arthur Harvey [blog posts passim] was captured - September 26th. - and moved to his first German POW camp. Reading the personal accounts of soldiers on both sides and Dutch civilians, I am increasingly bewildered as to how he got out of it physically unscathed. As the battalion diary recorded at the time, he might have made it home:

26th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

The remnants of the Bn, moved down to NIJMEGEN through a drizzle of rain.  Everyone was wet, but the men were cheerful.  Met 1st seaborne who took them to billets where they found food and dry clothing.

 

27th September 1944

Place: Holland

 

The Bn was refitted with new battledress.  The men were smart again, and once again, cheerful.  Rumour says that a quick return to England is imminent.


Instead, he had to sit out the war as a prisoner of the Axis until May 9th. 1945, when his camp was relieved by Allied troops . I plan to write a daily piece in September to honour his and his comrade's memories.

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